leister



April 24, 1934. v. LESTER 1,956,125

BRIDGE FOR PROTECTING FIRE HOSE Filed June 25, 1932 Q 1/? K LE/STER1,956,125 BRIDGE FOR PROTECTING FIRE-HOSE Vernon K. Leister, Hampstead,Md. Application June 23, 1932, Serial No. 618,947 10 Claims. (Cl.104-275) This invention relates to bridges for protecting fire-hose, andespecially to a flexible and disconnectible joint between interchangeable sections of a very practical and convenient device ofthis character.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterthat is exceedingly strong and durable while being capable of beingrelatively light to carry,

disassembled and nested so as 'to be stored in such'small availablespace as can be found on a shelf or running board of a hosetruck orother fire-fiighting conveyance, convenient and easy to assemble over asingle line of fire-hose or over any number of lines, and will retainits position while of vehicles exert lateral displace it when startingwheels of various kinds pressures which tend to to travel thereover, and

has flexible joints which permit it to conform to uneven surfaces onuse.

Other objects and i pointed out or implied in description, in connectioing drawing in which:

Fig. l is an elevation,

fire-hose-bridge assembled for two lines which it may be seated formportant features are the following details of n with theaccompanypartly in section, of a of hose,

the latter being indicated by the broken circles.

Fig. 2 is a view simila r to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of theinvention.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing another modified Fig. 4is a view in line 4:-& of Fig. 1.

form of the invention.

horizontal section along the Fig. 5 is a View in horizontal sectionalongthe line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view in horizontal section along the line 6-'-6 of Fig. 3,

a part being broken off.

Fig. '7 is an elevation of one of the removable and interchangeablearched spans such as thoseshown in the assemblage of Fig. 1, united withits base and its securing Referring to the similar reference charactthroughout the several views,

stud.

drawing in detail, in which ers refer to similar parts the invention isdescribed in detail as follows:

Of course these bridges are which they are spaced between the wheels of1 travel therecver; but as used in-pairs in according to the space andvehicles which will the bridges or" each pair are or may be alike, thedescription of one will suffice for both. Each may include only one orany number of the interchangeable arched spans and two approaches, the

number of arched spans being in proportion to the number of lines ofhose to be bridged for traffic to pass over while the hose is in useacross a road or street, to avoid obstruction of traffic and to avoidinjury to the hose. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the approaches are shown at A1,A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6, for it will be seen that even the approaches ofthe same pair are different, inasmuch as one of each pair is permanentlyunited with its base, whereas, its companion is united with a stud forremovably connecting it to a base of an arched span, as will presentlybe explained in detail as follows:

Each approach is made of thin metal to form a plate which is rigid andstrong while being comparatively light and convenient to handle, andwhen made of rolled and pressed sheet metal, as in Figs. 1, 2 and '7,the high upright flange 10, in Fig. 1, has a stud 11 welded thereon asindicated at 12; whereas, the upright or flange 10a (Fig. 1) isintegrally united with a base 13 by welding as indicated at 14, thisbase being preferably of channel iron or steel and has an aperture orcavity 13a at its middle part. According to the structure of Fig. 2, thehigher flange 10b has a notch 11a, in lieu of the stud 11 (of Fig. 1),and the higher flange 100 has a distorted rivet or other headed securingmember 130 secured thereon by welding 12a (Fig. 5) which also aids thewelding 14 in holding the flange to the base 131). In Fig. 3, the higherflange 10c is integrally united with the stud 111), this form of theinvention comprising all cast parts, preferably cast steel or malleableiron or one of the bronzes, so each approach (in Fig. 3) is formed withstrengthening ribs A5 and A6; the base 13d also being formed integrallyand provided with a cavity or hole 13c. In this form, the base has asharp angular lower edge 13 which penetrates the road or street surfacesufficiently to avoid slipping or lateral movement of the bridge, or toassist in avoiding such movement. This same eifect is obtained, also, bythe relatively thin and sharp lower edges of the channel-beam bases ofFigs. 1 and 2. 7

Now referring again to the arched spans, in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and '7,indicated respectively at S1, S2 and S3; it will be seen that either ofthese spans is a duplicate or counterpart of the other, and acounterpart of the span shown in Fig. 7, so that either one of the spansin Fig. 1 could be interchanged with that of Fig. 7, or the latter couldbe assembled therewith in conjunction with either one of the approaches,or so that either could be removed and permit the remaining one to beconnected to the spaced one of the approaches by moving the latter intoengagement with the remaining span.

In Figs. 1 and 7, referring to the spans, each includes an elongatedarch 15 having welded thereon a pin or stud 11c, and also having suchstud so located as to be interchangeable with the studs 11 or 11b in theholes 13a and 132; so the spans S3 are also interchangeable therewith,inasmuch as the bases 13s are welded thereto at 14g and corresponds, infunction, to the base 132 of Fig. 3. However, although the arched spansof Fig. 2 are interchangeable with one another and with others of theirkind, they are not interchangeable with those of Figs. 1 and 3, butrather, are reversed as to the securing means which include notches 117'and studs or lugs 137', the latter being interchangeable with the studsor lugs 130 of the approach As. In Fig. 8, the bases 13k areinterchangeable with the bases 13d of the approaches A6.

From the foregoing, it is seen that in all three forms of the invention,the approaches are loosely or flexibly and interchangeably connected,and besides, the separable elements are spaced from one another at theirupper edges or sides far enough to prevent them from interfering withthe flexing or automatic adjusting to the surfaces on which they areseated for use, regardless of whether the surfaces are concaved,convexed or both.

Referring again to the approaches, it is seen that their outer edges areformed with low uprights or flanges l6 and 16a which not only strengthenthese outer edges and prevent them from being permanently distorted byheavy vehicles thereon, but also penetrate the surface enough to assistthe bases in keeping the bridges where they are placed over the line orlines of fire-hose. At 17, each of the approaches is preferably level toform substantially rectangular corners 18 which are immediately imbeddedin the surface of any resilient tire that rides thereon, thus preventingthe bridge from slipping in front of the tire and becoming displaced.The main part of each approach is downwardly inclined from the highflange toward the low flange or to the part 17 that merges or unitestherewith.

Each cast span 152) has strengthening ribs or a thickened part 150, orthis upper part may be corrugated to render it relatively rigid andstrong while remaining relatively light and easy to handle. Because ofall parts being of thin metal, as shown, they can be reversed or spentto one another, or otherwise assembled so as to be substantially nested,as appears to be obvious, so as to store them in a relatively smallspace in or on a fire-fighting conveyance.

Referring again to Fig. 3, and Fig. 6, it is seen that the integral stud117s loosely engages with the hole 13c, as does the stud 11 or the studs110 of Fig. 1.

Although I have described these embodiments of my invention quitespecifically, I do not intend to limit my patent protection to theseexact details of description, for the invention is susceptible ofnumerous b nges within the scope of the inventive ideas mplied andclaimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a fire-hose-bridge, combination of two approaches each having alow outer edge and a high inner edge, an arched span to receive afire-hose thereunder, and means to yieldingly connect the archedspan tothe high edges for holding the latter in such closely spaced relationthat they unite to form a substantially continuous bridge which isflexible so as to conform to uneven surfaces on which it may be placedover a a line of re-hose to be protected thereby.

inverted with re- 2. The combination in a fire-hose-bridge of anapproach having a high edge and a low edge, said high edge beingprovided with a base which protrudes horizontally, an arched span toreceive a line of fire-hose thereunder, said span having one sideprovided with a base which protrudes horizontally while the oppositeside of the span is normally seated on the protruding base of saidapproach, a second approach having a high edge and a low edge, the highedge of the second approach being normally seated on the protruding baseof said span, and means to secure said span to said approaches in suchmovable relation thereto that the said bases and the low edges of theapproaches can conform to uneven surfaces on which they may be seatedwhile bridging a line of hose.

3. In a fire-hose-bridge, the combination of an approachhaving a highedge and a low edge, said high edge being provided with a base whichprotrudes horizontally and has a hole therein, an arched span to receivea fire-hose thereunder, said span having one side provided with securingmeans to extend into the said hole while said side rests on said base,the opposite side of said span having a base which protrudeshorizontally and has a hole therein, a second approach provided with ahigh edge and a low edge, the high edge of the second approach havingsecuring means to extend into the said hole of the base of said spanwhile this edge is connected with and supported by the last said base,the second approach being removable from said span to permit a similarspan to be connected thereto and to the first said span by the last saidhole and securing means.

4. The structure defined by claim 3, said securing means being loose insaid holes, and the said high edges being spaced from the span in suchrelation that they are movable toward and 1;-

from the span and thus permit the. bases to conform to uneven surfaceson which the bases may be seated while in use, substantially asspecified.

5. In a fire-hose-bridge, the combination of two thin metal approacheseach including a low upright flange and a high upright flange, and athin metal arched span for receiving a fire-hose thereunder, said spanbeing normally secured to and between the high flanges of saidapproaches by means which limit movement of these parts relative to oneanother while permitting them to have sufiicient relative movement toenable them to conform to uneven surfaces on which they may be seatedwhile in use.

6. In a flre-hose-bridge, the combination of two thin metal approacheseach including a high upright flange and a low upright flange atopposite edges so that there is a vacant space between them, and anumber of arched spans of thin metal provided with means to removablysecure them to and between said high flanges individually orcollectively, substantially as specifled, means also being provided forsecuring said spans to one another, for the purposes specified.

7. In an approach of a fire-hose-bridge, a thin metal plate including ahigh upright flange and a low upright flange along opposite edges of theplate, the main part of the plate being gradually inclined from the highflange towards the low flange, the remainder of the plate beingsubstantially level and extending from the inclined part to the lowflange, for the purposes specified.

8. The structure defined by claim '7, and the lower part of the highupright flange being prowhich has complementary connecting means,substantially as shown.

10. The combination of two approaches each including a low side and ahigh side, a substantially arched metal span between the high sides ofthe approaches, and means to yieldingly secure the lower parts ofopposite sides of the span to the lower parts of the high sides of theapproaches.

VERNON K. LEISTER.

